Idaho Transportation Department District 6 representatives were introduced at the November 3rd meeting of the Salmon City Council by local Transportation District 6A co-coordinator Judy Barkley.

Bill Shaw, the head of all roads and bridges in the district, and Jeff Osgood, District 6-A and 6-B Mobility Manager, were in Salmon to host a luncheon which explored the local transportation mobility issues.

Osgood presented council members with some printed information. He said the purpose of that day’s visit was to talk with citizens about revisions in the Idaho Transportation Plan, specifically the plans for District 6. He said the plan is to be finalized in December and that the document will be used as a basis for the funding that will be allocated next year for District 6 public transportation projects.

Osgood said that one need expressed by the community is a public transportation means to get from here to Missoula. He indicated he will be working on that and he plans to speak with Montana Department of Transportation officials. He said the Montana department was not aware of the needs in this area and last year allocated transportation funds for a Butte through Dillon to state line route which is also served by the Greyhound Bus Line. He hopes to have the Montana department reallocate those funds to this area.

Bill Shaw is from the District 6 office in Rigby. He told the council the ITD is focusing on an increasingly wider range of transportation issues and transportation services to communities. He complimented Osgood saying he has a bright, young brain and is helping to solve rural transportation problems.

In his Parks and Recreation Committee report, Committee Chairman Leo Marshall said the council is being asked, by way of a petition, to increase the number of dogs allowed to each person walking on Island Park, from the current limit of two to three. Three is number the city’s dog ordinance allows per household. Any more than three requires going through the process of obtaining a Kennel License. The petition for three dogs per person on Island Park was signed by 37 people.

Marshall said granting the request would necessitate changing a city ordinance and there is a specific procedure involved. He said City Clerk Mary Benton can provide the petitioners with that information.

In answer to concerns over there being no Winter-time rest room facilities on Island Park Marshall said no monies were allocated in the city budget for heating the rest rooms and that they will be closed at the end of November.

Marshall said that City Recreation Director Judy Barkley gave the committee a report on a newly proposed program to teach people how to play hockey. The program would be in conjunction with the Hockey Association which would provide the equipment and the instructor. The proposal suggests a $20 fee for each beginning hockey player with $5 of each fee going to the city.

The next meeting of the Parks and Recreation Committee will take place on November 24th at 11:30AM in the Salmon Valley Center. The meetings are open to the public.